The people detained include current and retired officials from the local government of Tianjin, and chairman, vice-chairman and three deputy general managers of Tianjin Ruihai International Logistics, the owning company of the warehouse where the explosion occurred.

There are conflicting reports as to the nature of their detainment. The state-run Xinhua news agency said they had been "criminally detained," a pre-arrest detention that comes before police level formal charges.

Tianjin Explosion - In Pictures

Tianjin Explosion - In Pictures

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Tiajin Explosion

A man wearing a mask walks past overturned shipping containers after explosions hit the Binhai new district in Tianjin. Two massive explosions caused by flammable goods ripped through an industrial area in the northeast Chinese port city of Tianjin late on Wednesday, killing 17 people and injuring around 400, official Chinese media reported.

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A screen grab from taken from state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) footage on August 12, 2015 shows a huge explosion in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin.

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Tianjin Explosion

Excavators work near the site of the explosions at the Binhai new district, Tianji

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Tianjin Explosion

A man who was injured following the massive explosions at the Binhai new district in Tianjin receives medical treatment at a hospital.

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Tianjin Explosion

View of the destruction after explosions in the port area of Tianjin, northern China,

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Tianjin Explosion

A emergency worker is lifted by a crane as smokes plumes from the explosion site in Binhai new district in Tianjin

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Tianjin Explosion

A damaged truck is seen on a highway near the site of the explosions at the Binhai new district in Tianjin

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Tianjin Explosion

Flames rise as a banner in the background reads "no illegal operations" at the site of a series of explosions in Tianjin, witnesses described a fireball from the blasts ripping through the night sky.

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Tianjn Explosion

Smoke rises from shipping containers after explosions at Binhai new district in Tianjin, China.

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Tianjn Explosion

Firefighters take a break after trying to put fire down at the explosion site in Binhai new district in Tianjin,

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Tianjn Explosion

A survivor talk on his mobile phone at the site of the explosions at the Binhai new district in Tianjin

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Tianjin Explosion

Firefighter's truck and other rescue vehicles are pictured as smoke rises among shipping containers after explosions at Binhai new district in Tianjin

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Tianjn Explosion

Damaged cars are seen near the site of explosions at the Binhai new district in Tianjin

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Tianjn Explosion

A paramilitary policeman wears a mask as he blocks the road leading to evacuated residential area and the explosion site in Binhai new district in Tianjin

On 26 August, the Communist Party sacked the head of China's work safety regulator, who was formerly the vice mayor of Tianjin. He was fired over corruption allegations, but no specific links were made to the Tianjin disaster.

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A notice from the Chinese prosecutor's office said that the detained men "failed to take strong measures in response to the Ruihai company's illegal and unregulated actions, did not assiduously carry out their duties and issued business permits in violations of rules."

Rescuers search the wreckage the site of the explosion

Besides the people who have already been detained, the prosecutor named officials from agencies like Tianjin's transport, land resources, work safety and customs bodies, and said they had been negligent in the supervision of the company, and bore some responsibility for the explosion.